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X-Men: The Movies vs The Comics .... Part Two

Comic heroes are only ever as good as their villains. It's the reason why DC’s Superman leaves a number of comic fans cold; a hero that superior will never have a worthy villain to challenge him. Fortunately, the X-Men have never been short of foes to keep them on their toes. A good number of them have yet to grace the big screen (Mr. Sinister, Onslaught, Bastion, the Phalanx), but those that have had the cinematic treatment have been done proud, and with the pyramid wielding Apocalypse confirmed as the villain for the next X-Movie in 2016, things on the bag guy front look rosy.

When the X-Men first appeared in 1963 it was customary to feature a villain hell-bent on one of two dastardly deeds; either taking over the world or blowing it up. Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants were the X-Men’s primary opponents for the first couple of years. When this duel was done to death new X-Men stories were put on hold, with issue 66 in March 1970 marking the last original story for five years. Readers had to satisfy themselves with reprints of earlier issues until Giant Size X-Men 1 in 1975 which finally refreshed the team with new members and a new direction. Writer Chris Claremont came on board to start his astonishing sixteen year run on the title, with issue 94 marking the first new X-Men story in half a decade.

Magneto eventually returned but instead of the shouty maniac he was before writers developed the idea of Magneto as the flipside to the X-Men’s leader Prof. Xavier. In the battle for mutant acceptance in society, if Xavier was Martin Luther King, then Magneto was Malcolm X; they both wanted the same end but Magneto was prepared to be much more militant in order to achieve it. It was this dynamic that director Bryan Singer used as the believable bedrock upon which to build the X-men movie franchise.

Seven movies into the franchise, and with X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) another critical and box-office success, details of X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) are slowly leaking. The story will be set in the nineteen-eighties and according to Singer will be “more of a First Class sequel”. Channing Tatum has been cast as Gambit, McAvoy, Fassbender and Lawrence will return, and we’ll see young versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm. With Apocalypse on villain duties, fans were hoping for a cinematic retelling of the much lauded Age of Apocalypse crossover from the mid-nineties, with Prof. Xavier inadvertently killed by his long-lost son Legion / David Haller. His death drastically alters the timeline and turns North America in to an apocalyptic wasteland ruled over by the fittingly named and ancient mutant Apocalypse. This change in destiny altered the allegiances of most key characters (Magneto and Sabretooth recast as heroes, Wolverine recast as a villain, etc) and was a huge hit with X-fans.

But with Days of Future Past already dealing in time travel and altered timelines, it probably wouldn’t pay to follow that up with another film dabbling with the same plot features. The Days of Future Past post-credits teaser confirmed that Apocalypse will retain his comic back story, the world's first ever mutant from centuries ago, worshipped as a God " En Sabah Nur" by the Egyptians. It also teased his Four Horsemen, glimpsed on a hilltop astride their steeds. But whatever form Apocalypse takes when he does battle with the X-Men, he’ll have stiff competition from the already jam-packed X-villain locker room, as we look back at those movie mutants who chose war over peace.

1. Magneto

As with all male mutants, the silver haired Magneto has always managed to rock the physique of a bodybuilder. But with Patrick Stewart all but guaranteed the Xavier role it would have been foolish to rope in a be-muscled A-lister to play his nemesis and former chum Erik Lehnsherr. Though not visually accurate, Bryan Singer did the right thing by casting an age appropriate actor, securing one of Stewart's best friends and fellow Shakespearean board tredder Sir Ian Mckellen. It was perfect casting, the great actors having an instant rapport that created years of believable chemistry. When it came time to recast a younger Magneto Matthew Vaughn roped in man-of-the-moment Michael Fassbender. Charismatic and likeablein equal amounts, Fassbender quickly crafted an equally strong relationship with his soon to be adversary James McAvoy. As a bonus he also looks like a young Mckellen and has brought Magneto closer to the more chiselled physique we know from the comics. Comic to screen accuracy: 9/10

2. Mystique

Accurately presenting a blue skinned, red haired, yellow eyed shapeshifer was always going to be tricky. But tackling the problem head on Singer stuck to all of these key characteristics and still managed to make it work on screen. Mystique in the comics kicks ass with a sly smile but has underlying confusion over where her loyalties really lie. Movie Mystique in the shapely form of Rebecca Romijn does exactly that, with a superb onscreen look and CGI transformation effects that boggle the mind. All that's missing is Mystique's trademark white dress, but when Singer chose to replace that with no dress at all comic fans weren't complaining. Mystique was softened for the X-Men: First Class (2011) prequel and turned into Xavier's surrogate sister in the form of Jennifer Lawrence. This was a radical departure from her comic back story, which undid some of Romijn's good work. It also raised questions as to why Patrick Stewart never mentioned his connection to Mystique in the three films he appeared in with her. Comic to screen accuracy:8/10

3. Sabretooth

Perhaps the most popular X-villain, casting for Victor Creed, aka Sabretooth (supposed half brother of Wolverine) got off to a great start. Former wrestler Tyler Mane had both the towering 6ft 9in frame and grizzled looks to play a convincing Sabretooth. His costume also looked good, replete with the requisite furs, shaggy mane and razor nails. Then the script arrived and everything went south. Sabretooth in X-Men (2000) is almost mute, his killer sense of humour and homicidal tendencies so beloved from the comics completely absent. Fans were still unconvinced when Liev Schrieber was recast in the role for X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009); he had the acting chops but not the build. But full credit to Schrieber, he hit the gym hard and turned up on set just as pumped as his onscreen rival Hugh Jackman. Director Gavin Hood also ensured that his Sabretooth was written right, and thanks to a sharp script Schrieber delivered the Sabretooth fans had been waiting for. He is by far the best thing in Hood's X-movie. Comic to screen accuracy: 8/10

4. Toad

Some things from the X-Men comic pages weren’t going to work on film; Toad's court jester outfit and bowl haircut was one of them. Singer created a solid compromise, retaining Toad's mutant abilities (heightened agility, skilled mechanic, over active tongue) and slotting them into the naturally agile frame of actor and stunt performer Ray Park. With a script that didn't do his character many favours, Park was able to use his unique physicality to rescue Toad and create an X-villain worth remembering. Why Park wasn't invited back for the sequels remains a mystery; on the strength of his work in X-Men (2000) he certainly deserved another stab at the role. Evan Jonigkeit took over Toad duties for Days of Future Past looking the part but having little to do with what was an extended cameo. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

5. William Stryker

First introduced in the 1982 graphic novel X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, William Stryker is a religious zealot with a shady military background and a deep-seeded hatred of all things mutant. So strong are his anti-mutant sentiments he kills his own wife and mutant son Jason. Posing such a threat, the X-Men are forced to join forces with Magneto in order to stop him and his band of paramilitary thugs. Singer stuck to the Stryker template for X2 (2003) with the exception of having Jason alive as the motivation for Stryker’s push for a mutant cure; Singer even had the X-Men and Magneto team-up to bring his mutant killing plot to an end. Distinguished actor Brian Cox brought all his considerable talent to the role and Danny Huston did likewise for ­X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) when Stryker’s full involvement in the Weapon X project is revealed. Josh Helman present the young Stryker yet in Days of Future Past with a performance of his own that is fully faithful to the Strykers that went before him. Comic to screen accuracy: 8/10

6. Lady Deathstrike

Stryker’s right hand woman was another of his Weapon X projects, the femme fatale with the killer fingernails, Lady Deathstrike, aka Yuriko Oyama. In the comics Yuriko’s father discovered the process by which adamantium can be bonded to bone, a procedure Yuriko followed herself in order to become a top flight assassin upon her father’s death. First appearing in Daredevil issue 197 as Yuriko, her first showing as Lady Deathstrike came in Alpha Flight issue 33, commencing her longstanding battle with Wolverine and her need to prove herself by besting her adamantium-coated rival. In X2 Yuriko’s backstory is kept under wraps and it’s not made clear how she came to be under the auspices of Stryker and his mind controlling drugs. Kelly Hu made for an excellent onscreen Deathstrike though and he savage duel with Wolverine in the Weapon X facility remains one of the best brawls in the entire X-Men movie franchise. Comic to screen accuracy: 8/10

7. Pyro

One of the few Australian mutants in the X-Men comic series, Saint-John Allerdyce was one of a swathe of new villains introduced by Chris Claremont during his iconic early run on the comic, which in 1978 with issue 114 changed title from X-Men to the now famous The Uncanny X-Men. Whilst not able to create fire, Pyro could control flame, making him somewhat of a poor man’s Human Torch. Recruited to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants by Mystique, Pyro became a long servant of Magneto. In early drafts of X-Men (2000) Singer had Pyro as one of Magento’s original Brotherhood. Budget pressures bumped his character to a cameo appearance by Alexander Burton as a student at the Xavier school. Aaron Stanford took over the role for X2 and was able to take the renamed John Allerdyce through an intriguing turn from good student to power hungry Magneto follower. Stanford reprised the role in X-Men: The Last Stand for a long awaited stand-off with his elemental opposite Iceman. While the Aussie twang so memorable from the comics wasn’t present, Stanford’s turn as the flame throwing student-to-villain made for one of the infamous characters in the film series so far. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

8. Juggernaut

Juggernaut was a strange choice for an additional villain in X-Men: The Last Stand. Other than running through a few walls he doesn’t really serve much purpose and is a complete waste of one of the comics most enduring bad guys. More than that Brett Ratner’s Juggernaut stands as the most inept X-casting in the entire film series so far. Former footballer Vinnie Jones is not without acting talent. As Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000) showed, in the right role he can easily steal a movie from more established actors. But he is about million miles away from being a believable Juggernaut. First appearing way back in X-Men issue 12 in 1965, Juggernaut, aka Cain Marko, is the half brother of Prof. Xavier, the son of Xavier’s stepfather. He is also not a mutant, but rather a human empowered when he discovers the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak. The Gem not only supersizes Juggernaut to around ten foot tall, but also provides him with almost unstoppable momentum when he gets moving, as well as enhanced strength, stamina, and durability. To turn Jones into Juggernaut, Ratner gave the Brit a bodysuit and some CGI augmentation; the resulting look wasn’t good. He also allowed Jones to stick with his Cockney accent. All round, it was a combination that really didn’t work, and The Last Stand judders to a halt whenever Juggernaut is onscreen, Jones seemingly wandering in from another film altogether. Comic to screen accuracy: 1/10

9. Multiple Man

Another of Magneto’s recruits for The Last Stand, actor Eric Dane made for a spot-on Multiple Man, aka James “Jamie” Madrox. Not only did his casual outfit give a nice nod to Madrox’s comic get-up, the special effects for his multi-person mutant power worked a treat on screen. Dane also had the perfect cheeky attitude that made Madrox a fan favourite on the page. The only sticking point is that in the comics Multiple Man is a hero not a villain. Whether he was swayed by Magneto’s powerful persuasion or was trying to work as an inside man, we’ll never know as his appearance, though memorable, is brief. Here’s hoping for a reprise in future X-instalments. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

10. Callisto

One of the most infamous Morlocks in the comics, Callisto first appeared in Uncanny X-Men issue 169 in May 1983. A fairly standard set of mutant powers, she boasted heightened senses, including strength, speed and agility. Her most famous storyline saw her battling Storm for the leadership of the Morlocks, a story that was also covered by the 1992 animated television show. Known more for her distinctive look, Callisto sports a short, dark haircut, leather waistcoat and matching eye-patch. For The Last Stand Ratner retooled her, nabbing the mutant tracking and power identifying ability from her fellow Morlock Caliban to add to her already extensive list of capabilities. She also took the form of Dania Ramirez, who although striking, bore little resemblance to her on-page counterpart. Comic to screen accuracy: 3/10

11. Arclight

Another of Chris Claremont’s many creations, Arclight first appeared in Uncanny X-Men issue 210. A female veteran of the Vietnam War, she used her heightened powers of strength to further a part-time career as a bodybuilder, eventually sporting an infamously muscular physique, even by female comic character standards. Ratner ditched her bulky frame for the more androgynous look of actress and model Omahyra Mota, and also sharpened the characters shockwave projectile power. Memorable it may have been, but not particularly comic accurate. Comic to screen accuracy: 4/10

12. Psylocke

One of the more popular X-Men through the nineties thanks to a shapely figure and a skimpy costume, Psylocke, aka Elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock, is the on-again-off-again girlfriend of winged mutant Angel. First appearing in 1976 in the British Marvel comic Captain Britain as the sister of the titular star, Betsy eventually developed her own mutant powers, that of precognition, empathy, telepathy and “psychic daggers” that flowed from her hands like glowing knives. Though often eccentric and unpredictable, Psylocke has always been one of the good guys. She was therefore a strange choice by Ratner for another of Magento’s acolytes in The Last Stand. Though actress Meiling Melancon had the correct purple haircut, the rest of her look, including her Oriental origins, was too far removed from the comics. Comic to screen accuracy: 2/10

13. Quill

Actor Ken Leung is one of those supporting faces that crops up in so many movies, you end up wondering exactly who he is and why you don’t see more of him in lead roles. Leung continues his sterling work making a great impression in The Last Stand with one of Marvel’s lesser known mutants. Although credited as Kid Omega in the movie credits, Leung’s character is drawn from Quill, aka Max Jordan. A more recent addition to the mutant world, Quill had the unique ability to grow spikes instead of hair that he can fire as projectiles. A hero mutant, his character was killed off during an attack on Xavier’s school by Stryker. Retooled as a villain by Ratner, Leung creates a remarkably nasty mutant, known for his killer hugs. With little to go by in the comics, it would have been nice to see Leung take his spiky assassin further in the films. Though not officially confirmed, another version of what appears to be the Quill character cropped up in Days of Future Past as one of Havok's US Army colleagues. Comic to screen accuracy:5/10

14. Spike

Various minor mutants using the name Spike have appeared in Marvel Comics, particularly in recent times. Lance Gibson’s turn as the character credited as “Spike” in the The Last Stand’s credits in most similar to a villain who appeared in the New X-Men series with a rather unsightly ability to grow additional bones that can be used as razor sharp throwing knives. Even so, when you’re facing a mutant whose bones are made of pure adamantium, you’re always going to lose. Comic to screen accuracy: 6/10

15. Phat

A blink and you’ll miss it cameo for two actors (Via Saleaumua and Richard Yee) in The Last Stand, the character Phat has the ability to expand the fat deposits in his body making himself bigger or smaller at will. First appearing in X-Force issue 117 in 2001 as a hero mutant, he is famous for being one of the few openly gay characters in the Marvel Universe. Meeting a sticky end in a deleted scene from The Last Stand, Phat is frozen by Iceman during the climactic battle on Alcatraz before being smashed to pieces by Colossus. Comic to screen accuracy: 5/10

16. Glob

Another of the small cameos in Magneto’s extended cast of Last Stand evil mutants, actor Clayton Watmough makes an appearance as Glob, aka Robert Herman. Known in the comics as being a walking skeleton inside a pink “globule”, Glob’s bio-paraffin body provide him with heightened strength, speed and resilience. In a fast moving scene Watmough appears in Glob form briefly before being hit with a “cure dart” that reverts him back to his standard human form. Comic to screen accuracy: 6/10

17. Deadpool

Second behind Wolverine in the most popular mutant stakes is the merc with the mouth, Deadpool, aka Wade Wilson. A mercenary for hire with a murky back-story, Deadpool first appeared in New Mutants issue 98 on the trail of Cable, the future son of Cyclops and Jean Grey. Guest appearances followed before fan approval persuaded Marvel to give their character his own ongoing series. Most known for his penchant for breaking the “fourth wall” and talking directly to comic readers, Deadpool is also lethal with a katana blade, has a habit of running his mouth, and has a wide range of mutant powers that make him nigh-on immortal. For X-Men Origins: Wolverine director Gavin Hood offered up a watered down version of Deadpool in the form of Ryan Reynolds. Referred to only as Wade, Reynolds is part of Stryker’s Team X, a group of mercenary mutants used by Stryker for covert military operations. Eschewing Deadpool’s trademark costume, Reynolds at least retained the characters skill with a blade and affinity for talking too much. But as the film progressed the character moved away from its comic origins, turned into a mouth-less mutant combo of all of the powers of his fellow Team X compatriots. Deadpool fans were not amused, and Marvel quickly announced a stand-alone Deadpool movie with Reynolds set to reprise the role for a proper R rated outing. Comic to screen accuracy: 4/10

18. Kestrel

A CIA black-ops team operating in the 1960s, Team X was comprised of a small number of mutants whose unique abilities made them the ideal unit for getting shady dealings done. Popular among fans, tales of their misadventures are kept teasingly low-key in the Marvel Comic world. Gavin Hood has no such qualms in using them to drive his Wolverine origin movie. Sliding William Stryker as their superior, Hood built his team out of a combination of the comic Team X characters and other villains thrown in for good measure. One of the original comic Team X members, Kestrel, aka John Wraith, was a teleporter with a fondness for explosives. A potentially distracting casting choice, Hood plonked former Black Eyed Peas rapper Will.I.Am in the role, and surprisingly it worked fairly well. Though his actions and lines were fairly limited, the music star made a reasonable impression and even managed to strike up a good connection with Jackman’s Wolverine. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

19. Bolt

Not an original member of Team X in the comics, one of Hood’s additions to the movie team was Bolt, aka Chris Bradley. A more adolescent character struggling to deal with the headaches caused by his mutant ability to generate and control electricity, Bolt made a rather inconspicuous debut in the lesser X-Men title X-Men: Unlimited in 1995. Aged to reflect his military involvement in Team X, Hood cast the superb Dominic Monaghan in the role. A reluctant affiliate of the team, Monaghan had only a few small scenes to work with, but his eventual end as a carnival sideshow (a nod to the original Blob character) is one of the most moving scenes in the X-movie franchise to date. Comic to screen accuracy: 8/10

20. The Blob

One of the very first villains in X-Men history, the team first encountered the Blob back in X-Men issue 3 in 1964. The Blob, aka Frederick J “Fred” Dukes is a sideshow freak, using his massive bulk, strength and unmoveability via a personal gravity field to astonish gullible carnival goers. After discovering his mutant origins Blob eventually joins Magneto’s Brotherhood. Initially creating a more flattering Fred Dukes for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Gavin Hood had journeyman actor Kevin Durand pack on the muscle and play the Blob as a the powerhouse member of Stryker’s Team X. But when the Team disbands Dukes packs on the weight and retires to a boxing gym, trained by Kestrel. Under an impressive bodysuit, Durand makes for a perfect looking Blob, with the sideshow boxing gimmick a nice nod to the comic characters circus origins. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

21. Agent Zero

A mutant with a number of different aliases, German born Christoph Nord’s changed his name to David North and took on the persona Maverick, a member of the comics Team X. With the power to absorb and redirect kinetic energy, Maverick was a key member of Team X alongside Sabretooth and Wolverine. Following a procedure through the Weapon X program North changed his name to Agent Zero and added healing powers to his list of abilities. Hood bulked his own Team X with this incarnation of David North, though we a few unwelcome changes. The German mutant was of Asian decent in the hands of actor David Henney, and his powers now seem to resolve around being quite handy with a gun. Suitable that might have been for some cheesy “gun-fu” action scenes, but comically authentic Hood’s Agent Zero was not. Comic to screen accuracy: 2/10

22. Silverfox

A villain more often than a hero in the comics, Kayla Silverfox appeared in issue 10 of the first ongoing Wolverine series in 1989, displaying the ability to control people’s minds through touch and to suppress her own aging process. A former member of Team X, Kayla left the team to join the terrorist organisation HYDRA. Actress Lynn Collins was cast to play Silverfox in Hood’s Wolverine origin movie, but rather than an out-and-out villain, his Silverfox was coerced to conspire against Logan by William Stryker who held her younger sister captive in a mutant experimentation centre. Though not comic accurate, Collins had good chemistry with Jackman and as a potential replacement for Jean Grey it was a shame she met a sticky end at the hands of the devious Stryker. Comic to screen accuracy: 5/10

23. Sebastian Shaw

The Dark Phoenix Saga is revered by X-Men fans as one of the best storylines in the history of the comic. That its showing on the big screen in The Last Stand failed to live up to the lofty heights of the original comic tale still rankles fans. Much of the original tale was left out or altered, including the pivotal involvement of The Hellfire Club. Inspired by an episode of the 1966 television show The Avengers which featured a secret club of period dressing evil-doers called the Hellfire Club, Chris Claremont and John Byrne created a similar band of evil mutants in 1980 based on an “inner circle” club, with its members taking their codenames from chess pieces. It sounded barmy but it worked. Those disappointed by the Clubs lack of appearance in Last Stand got a reprieve when they showed up in X-Men: First Class. Though not quite in original eighteenth century costume, their sixties wardrobes at least gave them a period feel, and assured hand Kevin Bacon was on hand to ensure that the Club’s leader Sebastian Shaw got the treatment he deserved. With the power to remetabolize energy into expel it back out as a greater force, Shaw was a force to be reckoned with, and with Bacon’s acting skills turning wonders with a solid script his Shaw made for one of the best X-villains to date. Comic to screen accuracy: 8/10

24. Emma Frost

Shaw’s original second in command has had a long journey in the X-comic. A long time villain, the White Queen, aka Emma Frost, has grown both in power and maturity, finally turning away from her evil roots to join the X-Men. In narrative terms, she’s a replacement for the departed Jean Grey, striking up a turbulent relationship with Cyclops and holding a range of powers including telepathy, memory alteration, and the ability to shapeshift her form into solid diamond. Strangely, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Silverfox’s captive younger sister appears to be Emma Frost played by Tahyna Tozzi (she’s referred to as Emma, surnamed as Frost in the trailer, and can turn her form into diamond), but in X-Men: First Class set ten years prior an older Emma Frost appears as Kevin Bacon’s second in command. A large part of Frost’s popularity in the comics is the fact that she has the most curvaceous figure of any female mutant, and she has a habit of dressing in the most skimpy, gravity defying outfits she can. It was fitting then that director Matthew Vaughn cast January Jones in the role; she certainly had the figure for it and that undeniable sparkle in the eye. But more pleasing than that was Jones excellent work with the script, creating yet another standout villain for Vaughn’s X-prequel and a note perfect rendition of one of Marvel’s most complex female mutants. Comic to screen accuracy: 9/10

25. Azazel

One of the most recent additions to the Marvel universe to make it into an X-movie, Azazel made his debut in Uncanny X-Men issue 428 in 2003. Finally answering the question of who Mystique slept with to end up giving birth to Nightcrawler, Azazel is revealed to be Nightcrawler’s father. His unique look was explained via a long-winded backstory involving ancient demonic mutants, and his massive range of powers include shapeshifting, teleportation, night vision, healing power, telepathy and energy blasts. But this almost super human range of powers come with a large caveat; Azazel can only spend a limited time on our Earth without the presence of his children who can help reverse a curse on him. For First Class Vaughn ditched his complicated origin and made him a Russian mutant in the form of Jason Flemyng. Whilst the personality of the character wasn’t comic-true, Flemyng’s look certainly was, the textured red skin, sharp suit, jet-black hair and wandering tail making for a spot on visual rendition. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

26. Riptide

First appearing in Uncanny X-Men issue 210 in 1986 as a member of the Marauders, another band of bad-guy mutants, Riptide, aka Janos Questad, has the ability to spin his body at high speed creating vacuum with which he can throw objects. For First Class Vaughn offered up a fairly straightforward adaptation of Riptide in the form of actor Alex Gonzalez, with an appropriate haircut and typical whirlwind throwing abilities. The only downside was a script that made the character just a mute henchman for Sebastian Shaw, with little to do but fling the odd tornado about. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

27. Tempest

One of the more recent X-Men writers to make an impression on fans is Grant Morrison, and his run on New X-Men was a memorable showcase for his particular brand of storytelling. One of his new characters was Tempest, aka Angel Salvadore, introduced in 2001, a young female mutant with the ability to fly thanks to insect wings, to spit acid, and to fire ice from one hand and fire from the other. A difficult student at the Xavier School, Tempest eventually leaves to join Magneto’s new Brotherhood. Following a similar path, for First Class Vaughn cast the eye-catching Zoe Kravitz, daughter of rock legend Lenny, as Tempest, a mutant recruited to the Xavier School who eventually throws her lot in with Magneto. Kravitz had the look, the sparky attitude and a decent script which allowed for a solid Tempest rendition. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

28. Silver Samurai

By 1982 Wolverine was already striding ahead as the most popular cast X-Men cast member. The time was right for a Wolverine solo comic, but before an ongoing monthly series was commissioned Marvel brought together the dream team of Chris Claremont and Frank Miller for a four part comic serial that would explore Wolverine past and a tangle in Japan that would lead to his eventual marriage to Mariko. When it was announced that James Mangold’s sequel The Wolverine(2013) would take the classic four part series as its inspiration fans were thrilled. But Mangold took some liberties with the original story and threw in some extra characters, none more laughable than the climatic appearance of what is supposed to be the Silver Samurai character. On the page the Samurai is a normal mutant capable of channelling mutant energy into an object creating a force-field capable of cutting through anything; he is also Kenuichio Harada, the illegitimate son of a Japanese crime boss. In the Wolverine the Samurai is a massive robotic Samurai suit worn by an aging businessman, Yashida, keen on nabbing Wolverine’s regenerative powers. The character Harada does make an appearance, but as an arrow flinging sidekick whose loyalties are torn throughout the film between Yashida and Yashida’s granddaughter and unrequited love Mariko. What exactly Yashida was planning to do with this massive Samurai suit is unclear, and there were surely much easier ways of stealing Wolverine’s powers. Comic to screen accuracy: 0/10

29. Viper

Another character shoe-horned into Mangold’s movie was Viper, better known as Lady Hydra, aka Ophelia Sarkissian. First introduced in Captain America issue 110 in 1969 Lady Hydra has been a long standing nemesis of SHIELD, and only took on the Viper name when her affiliation with HYRDA came to an end. With the film writes for this part of the Marvel Universe sitting with another film studio, Mangold had to be careful not to tread on any copyright toes. As a result, his Viper, in the form of Russian actress Svetlana Khodchenkova, was strictly a character for the plot, retooled as a mutant with the ability to secret toxins and poisons in her system. Quite far removed from the Viper/Lady Hydra comic fans were use to, it was another poor move by Mangold in the villain department. Comic to screen accuracy: 1/10

30. Bolivar Trask

To the first of the new villains for the upcoming Days of Future Past. Bolivar Trask has had a small cameo in the familiar form of Bill Duke in The Last Stand, though there is still some debate over whether it’s Bolivar or simply someone of the same name. For the first proper outing of the traditional Bolivar character, Singer opted for Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage. Another character with a long comic history, Bolivar first appeared in X-Men issue 14 in 1965 as the man behind the mutant hunting Sentinel robots. His ongoing fight to control mutant kind has played out through a number of storylines, and, height differences aside, Dinklage presented a fairly faithful take on the man behind the scariest robot hunters of all time, thought a tight script didn't quite allow the actor to really stretch himself. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10

31. Quicksilver

The world’s fastest mutant is suddenly in high demand. Not only are Quicksilver and his sister Scarlet Witch heading for Marvel Studio’s own Avengers movie franchise, but Quicksilver also appeared in 20th Century Fox's Days of Future Past. The characters involvement in the Marvel Universe has been equally split between Avengers and X-Men over the years, to the point that both film studios have laid claim to him. But in truth Quicksilver is a mutant, and not just any mutant, the son of Magneto no less (hinted at in Days of Future Past when the character quips about his Mum once knowing a man that could manipulate metal). Pietro Maximoff and his sister Wanda first appeared way back in X-Men issue 4 in 1964, begrudgingly fighting alongside Magneto in his Brotherhood. Evan Peters fills Quicksilver's boots in Days and though the juvenile mutant lives on the wrong side of the law, he's on good-guy duty, helping Wolverine, Beast and Prof. X break into the Pentagon in two scenes that almost steal the entire film. Why they didn't keep him around to help resolve the rest of the plot is a bit of a oversight. Hints at a Scarlet Witch are also dropped as Peters is seen sat with his little sister watching Magneto's plot unfold on TV. Comic to screen accuracy: 6/10

32. Sentinels

The giant flying robotic mutant trackers known as Sentinels have been a nightmarish mainstay in the X-Men comics since 1965. Who isn’t terrified by a towering robot sent to drag you off to a fate worse than death? They were another masterstroke from Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, echoing the hunting of Jews in Germany by emotionless, sinister Nazi forces that drives Magneto’s passion to never see that sort of horrific behaviour inflicted upon man or mutant again. They’ve taken a number of forms over the years as newer models replace the old, the Composite Sentinels, the Nimrods, the Prime Sentinels, the Bio-Sentinels. Their movie debut was much anticipated and their massive presence seemingly tailor made for the big screen. But until Days of Future Past all fans got was a teased appearance in a Wolverine led Danger Room training session in The Last Stand. Singer rectified this with the Sentinels playing a central role in his latest X-movie. The 1973 model that Trask unveils is shorter than their comic counterparts and unfortunately don't feature that commanding and down-right terrifying deep mechanical voice from the cartoon series. But their Harrier Jump-jet technology is plausible and they looked realistic enough to fit in with the onscreen universe. The Mystique inspired future models were a radical departure from the comics though, their adaptable technology providing a good story device but straining the bonds of believability. Comic to screen accuracy: 7/10